University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0456Eatonville,
Washington, Photograph Collectionca. 1942-194350 photographic prints ((1 box))Collection materials are in
English.Photographs of
the company towns of Eatonville, Onalaska, Malone, and Bordeaux, Washington,
ca. 1942-1943; shown are homes, streets, stores, and lumber mills.The northwest lumber industry had a direct
economic impact on the development and decline of the "company town." In order
to entice employees to move to the remote areas where the mills were located,
homes, stores, and other community services were built to accommodate workers.
To varying degrees, these lumber companies owned and controlled the businesses,
buildings, and services in these communities. Eventually, a combination of
factors contributed to the demise or transformation of many of these company
towns. These factors included the depletion of raw materials and the lumber
industry's consequent shift from logging to "farming" trees, as well as the
advent of modern freeways and automobiles, making these once remote areas more
accessible. The Washington towns of Eatonville, Onalaska, Bordeaux, and Malone
all experienced dramatic and increased population growth with the establishment
of lumber mills and were, at least for a time, company towns.
Eatonville is in southern Pierce County west of Mt. Rainier. The
Eatonville Lumber Company has been closed for decades but the community has
transformed into a residential community for south Puget Sound and as an
entryway to major outdoor recreational areas. The Carlisle Lumber Company owned
the town of Onalaska and the mill closed in 1942. Bordeaux, in western Thurston
County, was named for Thomas and Joseph Bordeaux, who arrived in 1887. They
founded a sawmill, the Mumby Lumber and Shingle Company, which brought workers
to the area, and the community of Bordeaux sprouted. The town was abandoned by
1941 when the timber ran out. The Malone lumber mill was established in the
early 1900's by the Joe Vance Lumber Company. It was later sold to the Bordeaux
Lumber Company. The mill was eventually closed during the depression years and
the company owned houses were sold.
The collection, originally an album, includes pictures of Eatonville,
Onalaska, Bordeaux, and Malone, Washington. It appears to have been made for
legal or other reasons as the index is marked "Exhibit B." The Eatonville
images include town scenes and privately owned residences, as well as
Eatonville Lumber Company buildings and homes. Also depicted are the remains of
the Carlisle Lumber Co. at Onalaska and the remains of the Mumby Lumber and
Shingle Company at Malone and Bordeaux. Information from the index to the album
indicates that the buildings in Onalaska were converted for use as a prison
camp during the war years. An Onalaska citizen remembered that the prisoners,
from the state penitentiary in Walla, Walla, Washington, were housed in
Onalaska to cut wood for the prison in Walla Walla. All photographs are
attributed to Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photography, 714
Market Street, Tacoma, Washington
View selections from the collection in digital format.
Collection is open to the public.
Request at UW
Processed by A. Chris Bee and Jocelyn Spicer,
2002.
The album pages have been removed from the cover
and the cover discarded because of possible mold contamination. The orginial
order has been retained. "Eatonville, Washington" was printed on the cover.
Associated Photographic ServiceMumby Lumber and Shingle CompanyCarlisle Lumber CompanyEatonville Lumber CompanyCompany towns--Washington (State)--PhotographsCompany town architecture--Washington (State)--History--20th centurySawmills--Washington (State)--PhotographsIndustrial buildings--Washington (State)--PhotographsLumber industry--Washington (State)--Bordeaux--PhotographsLumber industry--Washington (State)--Onalaska--PhotographsEatonville (Wash.)--PhotographsOnalaska (Wash.)--PhotographsMalone (Wash.)--PhotographsBordeaux (Wash.)--PhotographsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)Washington (State)PhotographsCity and Town LifeBusiness, Industry, and LaborArchitectureLogging
Eatonville, Washington11Eatonville High
Schoolbetween 1942 and 194312-3Eatonville Grade
Schoolbetween 1942 and 194314Eatonville High
School athletic field and play fieldbetween 1942 and 194315Eatonville
Methodist Community Churchbetween 1942 and 194326Private
housebetween 1942 and 194327Apartment
housebetween 1942 and 194328-9Private
housesbetween 1942 and 1943210Parsonagebetween 1942 and 1943311Private
housebetween 1942 and 1943311a-12Mill official's
housebetween 1942 and 1943313Company owned
housebetween 1942 and 1943 414-20Private
housesbetween 1942 and 1943521-23Company owned
housesbetween 1942 and 1943524Row of company
owned housesbetween 1942 and 1943 625Main
Streetbetween 1942 and 1943626[Roxy Theater]
and Main Streetbetween 1942 and 1943 627City hall and
fire departmentbetween 1942 and 1943 628Eatonville State
Bankbetween 1942 and 1943 629Christensen
Motorsbetween 1942 and 1943730Post office and
Roxy Theaterbetween 1942 and 1943731Christensen's
Texacobetween 1942 and 1943732Train depot and
sawmill between 1942 and 1943 733Bird's-eye view
from county roadbetween 1942 and 1943734Sawmill from log
pondbetween 1942 and 1943835-36Sawmillbetween 1942 and 1943 837Sawmill
cranebetween 1942 and 1943838-39Company owned
storebetween 1942 and 1943 Onalaska, Washington940"Onalaska as it
looks today [ca. 1942-1943] after the dismantling of the Carlisle Lumber
Company" between 1942 and 1943941Remains of
Onalaskabetween 1942 and 1943 "These buildings, we are told, are now [ca. 1943] used as a
prison camp" (caption).
942-43Remains of
Carlisle Lumber Company between 1942 and 1943Malone and Bordeaux, Washington1044-45Remains of Mumby
Lumber and Shingle Company at Malone, Washingtonbetween 1942 and 19431046Remains of the
town of Bordeaux, Washington, as it looks today [ca. 1942-1943] after the
dismantling of the Mumby Lumber and Shingle Company between 1942 and 19431047Remains of the
Mumby Lumber and Shingle Company plant at Bordeaux, Washington between 1942 and 19431048Remains of the
hotel at Bordeaux, Washingtonbetween 1942 and 19431049Remains of the
Mumby Lumber and Shingle Company plant at Bordeaux, Washington between 1942 and 1943